Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 188, Section 186: Benshan Comes for a Medical Consultation
May 28, 1998, evening.

In late spring in Beijing, the weather has warmed up, and the daytime hustle and bustle gradually subsides, blending into a languid yet prosperous atmosphere with the sunset and the newly lit streetlights.

The area in front of the Beijing Hotel was bustling with traffic and elegantly dressed people, showcasing the grandeur of the capital city.

Dajun opened the back door of the car.

Wang Sheng stepped out of the car.

He wore a well-tailored dark casual suit without a tie, which made him look casual yet dignified.

Upon entering the hotel's magnificent and elegant lobby, he was greeted by elegantly dressed waitresses in cheongsams, who, having clearly been instructed, respectfully led him to the reserved private room.

As soon as the waiter pushed open the heavy solid wood door of the "Penglai Pavilion" private room, a burst of noisy laughter and conversation poured out.

At the head of the round table, a familiar head stood out under the light; who else could it be but Zhao Benshan?

"Oh my! No wonder the magpies were chattering so loudly this morning, it turns out a distinguished guest has arrived!"

The moment Zhao Benshan saw Wang Sheng, he jumped up from his chair, his face beaming with an infectious smile. He strode forward, his thick Northeastern accent overflowing with enthusiasm: "President Wang! It's an honor to have you here, President Wang!"

His shout caused the others at the table to stand up as well, all their eyes turning to Wang Sheng.

These people were mostly cultural and artistic backbone members from the remote Northeast, screenwriters and directors who had close working relationships with Zhao Benshan.

Wang Sheng smiled and shook hands firmly with Zhao Benshan: "Teacher Zhao, you flatter me. What a esteemed person! You are the true pillar of our country's comedy world. I've come to pay my respects to you, my elder brother, and learn from you."

"Oh my god, please don't say that!"

Zhao Benshan waved his hands repeatedly, exaggerating as he looked Wang Sheng up and down: "President Wang, you don't know, it's been more than a year and a half since we last saw you, Zhen Fo, after we finished working together on that movie 'Family Harmony Brings Prosperity' two years ago!"

Good heavens, you've grown so fast! You've shot up like a rocket, leaving us old folks in awe, our necks practically snapping from looking up so far!

His witty banter was both flattering and funny, with a comedic rhythm that made everyone at the table laugh, instantly creating a lively atmosphere.

Wang Sheng was also amused by him and laughed heartily, patting Zhao Benshan's arm hard: "Teacher Zhao, I dare not accept your words. What do you mean by 'admiring a high mountain'? I was just lucky and caught a good time, so I got to do a few more things."

He changed the subject, his tone slightly teasing: "Besides, who said it's been more than a year since we last met? I just saw you on TV a few months ago! On New Year's Eve, in 'New Year's Greetings'! You performed so well! These days, it's rare to see a script as down-to-earth and flavorful as this, with such a vivid performance. It was truly refreshing and wonderful to watch!"

These words struck a chord with Zhao Benshan, and his smile widened, revealing genuine comfort.

He then pulled over a simply dressed, middle-aged man with a face bearing the stubbornness and vicissitudes of a scholar, and introduced him: "President Wang, you've hit the nail on the head! Come, let me formally introduce you to He Qingwei, Teacher He! Our 'New Year's Greetings,' and many other scripts from before, were all written by Teacher He! He's our 'brain,' our precious darling!"

He Qingwei appeared somewhat reserved, but his eyes were bright. He quickly extended his hand to shake hands with Wang Sheng: "Mr. Wang, hello, I've heard so much about you."

His words were concise and spoken with a Northeastern accent.

"Teacher He, it's a pleasure to meet you! Your notebooks are full of real life and insightful!" Wang Sheng said sincerely.

He was no stranger to the name He Qingwei, who would become Zhao Benshan's most important screenwriting partner during his golden age, creating countless classics.

"Alright, alright, stop standing! Mr. Wang, please have a seat, the seat of honor!" Zhao Benshan warmly put his arm around Wang Sheng's shoulder and led him to the seat of honor.

Unable to refuse, Wang Sheng reluctantly sat down.

The waiters started serving up dishes, all of which were exquisite Beijing-style cuisine.

Zhao Benshan picked up the Moutai on the table and was about to pour wine for Wang Sheng: "Mr. Wang, what are we doing here..."

Wang Sheng gently raised his hand to block the wine bottle and laughed, "Teacher Zhao, with our relationship, do we need to drink before we can talk business? I think we should just talk about what's important. Having a meal and catching up is much better than all those formalities."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Benshan was taken aback for a moment, then slapped his thigh hard, making a crisp "smack," and laughed heartily: "Great! Mr. Wang, just for what you said! If you really consider this rough old man who used to sing Errenzhuan as your brother, then from now on, we'll treat each other as brothers! No more 'brother' or 'younger brother,' we'll be equals! What do you say?"

Wang Sheng laughed and put his arm around Zhao Benshan's shoulder affectionately: "It's settled then! We're all brothers, let's have fun together and make a fortune together!"

"Good! Good brother!" Zhao Benshan was in high spirits, his face flushed.

After a lively exchange of pleasantries, a few rounds of drinks, and several dishes, the atmosphere became even more harmonious.

Zhao Benshan put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a towel, and became more serious: "Brother, since you're so straightforward, I won't beat around the bush with you. I invited you here today mainly to talk to you about two things."

“Brother Benshan, go ahead.” Wang Sheng put down his teacup, adopting a listening posture. “The first thing is about the skit for next year’s Spring Festival Gala.” Zhao Benshan frowned slightly. “To be honest, after this year’s ‘New Year’s Greetings,’ the pressure is even greater. The audience’s expectations are high, and the higher-ups’ requirements are also high. I’ve been working on a new script with Qingkui these past few days, and we’re a bit stuck.”

He Qingwei nodded in agreement and added, "Yes, we've been looking for new breakthroughs. The traditional Errenzhuan jokes are effective, but they always feel like something's missing."

Zhao Benshan continued, "A few days ago, when I was chatting with Qingkui, we brought up the concept of the 'Baiyun Heitu' elderly couple that we had talked about on the spot during our reading of 'Harmony Brings Prosperity'. We thought the image of this elderly rural couple was quite interesting and had room for further exploration."

He Qingwei's eyes lit up at this moment, and he looked at Wang Sheng: "Perfect timing. Not long ago, I happened to watch the episode of 'Tell It Like It Is' that your company's Cecilia Cheung participated in. The format of that program, with the host Cui Yongyuan and the guests asking and answering questions, was very down-to-earth, had a sense of life, and was also very relevant to the times."

I was thinking, could we put the elderly couple, Baiyun and Heitu, in an interview setting similar to the talk show "Tell It Like It Is"? Let them chat, talk about their family matters, and the changes in the country. That would definitely create a compelling story!

Wang Sheng's heart stirred.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow!
Indeed, the inertia of history is powerful.

Zhao Benshan looked at Wang Sheng and said sincerely, "Brother, this idea of ​​combining the program format was inspired by your program. It's like borrowing your ideas."

"I'm shamelessly asking this today for two reasons: first, I want to hear your opinion; second, if this idea is used, the screenwriter credits will definitely include Mr. He, and you, the one who provided the idea, will also be credited! So, how much do you want for this? Just name your price."

After listening, Wang Sheng laughed heartily and waved his hand, "Brother Benshan, Teacher He, I thought it was a big deal! It's just an idea, a line of thought. It's perfectly normal for artists to inspire each other. It's my honor to be able to use my ideas."

I agree to the attribution; it's a kind of memento. As for money, bringing that up is just being formal and hurtful! The content of the script still needs the careful polishing of experts like Professor He; I'm just providing the framework.

He spoke with such magnanimity and sincerity that Zhao Benshan and He Qingwei exchanged a glance, both seeing the gratitude and relief in each other's eyes.

Zhao Benshan raised his glass: "Brother, enough said, you're a true friend! I'll toast you! This tea instead of wine speaks volumes!"

Knowing that Wang Sheng wasn't very fond of drinking, he took the initiative to change the method.

Wang Sheng also raised his teacup and clinked it against his.

Having resolved the issue of comedic idea for the skit, Zhao Benshan visibly breathed a sigh of relief, his expression becoming more relaxed.

He filled Wang Sheng's cup with tea and then moved on to the second topic.

“Brother, I have an even bigger idea for the second thing.” Zhao Benshan leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, but his tone was full of excitement: “I know that you have connections everywhere now and are one of the biggest content providers for our national television station! You’re making a fortune with TV dramas, TV movies, and programs.”

He paused for a moment, then continued, "To be honest, I've been working in sketch comedy for so many years and have gained some experience. I also want to try my hand in the television industry, especially in TV dramas. It's not enough to always act in other people's plays; I want to express something that I truly want to express."

He winked at He Qingwei.

He Qingwei quickly took out a rather simple folder from his old briefcase and handed it to Wang Sheng with both hands.

"This is a script outline that Qingkui came up with based on some real stories and people from our rural Northeast."

Zhao Benshan looked at Wang Sheng with eager eyes: "The tentative name is 'Liu Laogen.' Brother, you're an expert in this field now, with a sharp eye. I want you to take a look today and see if this path has potential? Is it worthwhile?"

Wang Sheng took the folder, already understanding the situation.

This is the future "Liu Laogen," the drama that sparked a craze for rural dramas in Northeast China and became the pioneering work of Zhao Benshan's television drama dynasty!
He opened the folder and pretended to look through it carefully.

The outline is still rather rough, but the core plot is already clear: it tells the story of Liu Laogen, a retired rural villager from Northeast China who, unwilling to remain idle after retirement, overcomes numerous difficulties and the constraints of old ideas, utilizing local resources to lead his fellow villagers in opening a resort and developing tourism, thus achieving common prosperity. Several distinct characters, including Liu Laogen, Dingxiang, and Yaoxiazi, have already been initially established.

Wang Sheng read quickly, but the expression on his face gradually became serious and appreciative.

A moment later, he closed the folder, looked up, and stared intently at Zhao Benshan, who looked expectant, and He Qingwei, who looked slightly nervous.

Without the slightest hesitation, he said decisively, "Brother Benshan, Teacher He! This creative idea has great potential!"

He pointed to the folder, his tone full of certainty: "The character Liu Laogen is believable! He has a sense of the times and is very relevant to reality! How can farmers get rich after reform and opening up? How can rural areas develop? There's a lot to be done here! Using comedy to show the contradictions and hopes in rural transformation is both down-to-earth and profound! This subject matter will definitely resonate with the people!"

He looked at Zhao Benshan and gave his final promise: "Don't look for anyone else for this project! I'll invest! Give me a detailed budget and plan on how much funding you need. You can assemble your own actors and production team. Shengying Media and Enlight Media will fully cooperate with any support you need! Make sure you polish the script thoroughly and capture the spirit of the people of Northeast China!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Benshan was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Wang Sheng to be so decisive and so supportive.

Immediately, a surge of immense joy welled up within him. He abruptly stood up, his face flushed with excitement, and gripped Wang Sheng's hands tightly, shaking them vigorously.

"Brother! I have nothing more to say! I have nothing more to say! I will remember your trust and support! I will remember it for the rest of my life!"

(End of this chapter)